How can we transform a portion of the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities into a clean and abundant natural resource for wildlife, people and local communities? That question was first posed to FMR and other river stakeholders in December 2008. On January 28th, you are invited to learn about one possible plan to do just that.

Coordinated by the Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Mississippi Makeover Project aims to restore a stretch of the Mississippi River into a healthy ecosystem that attracts abundant wildlife, becomes a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts and provides economic benefits to local communities in the areas of Spring Lake, the Lower Vermillion River and Pool 3 of the Mississippi River. (See map.)

To accomplish this, project partners created the Citizen Advisory Group (CAG) — which included FMR along with a number of elected officials, citizens, and representatives of non-governmental organizations, agencies, industry and commerce — to envision and plan for ecosystem restoration in this area.

The work of the Citizen Advisory Group (CAG) is almost complete, and now we’d like to invite you to attend a special event to learn more about our vision for the future of the river.

Please join us for the Mississippi Makeover Open House, Thursday, January 28, 3:30-7:30 p.m., in the Hastings High School Commons Area, 200 General Sieben Drive, Hastings.

This event will feature brief presentations on the Mississippi Makeover and how the project will restore this portion of the Mississippi River through island building, pool drawdowns, cleanups and other projects over the coming years. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet CAG members, hear from panelists on a wide range of topics and discuss the process used for shaping the future of the project. The event is free, public participation is encouraged and pre-registration is not required.

For more information about the Mississippi Makeover, see the attachment below, download the Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District presentation overview or visit their project page.